An original 1963 document detailing the agenda at an important public hearing held in Albany, NY to discuss whether professional boxing should be abolished in New York state. The hearings were held at the Assembly Parlours on February 4, 1963. Those in attendance included a young Cassius Clay, Rocky Marciano, Henry Armstrong, Carmen Basilio, Billy Graham & TV commentator Howard Cossell. The single page agenda has been signed in blue ballpoint by Cassius Clay, Henry Armstrong, Carmen Basilio, Billy Graham and former New York Yankee Gil MacDougald. Clay added the brilliant inscription "Next Champ, Liston in 8, Good Luck". Just one year on Clay would fulfil his prophecy, retiring Sonny Liston at the Miami Convention Center. The 8" x 11" document is in fair condition some chipping, small edge tears, tape marks and a moisture stain at one end (not effecting any signatures). The autographs themselves are nice and bold, and the Clay is large. A rare item from a crucial meeting that could have seen the end of boxing in NY. Below is an original newspaper report on the hearing from the Galesburg Register on February 5, 1963:

UNIFAX Backers for NY Boxing Ban Gain Ground; ALBANY, N.Y. Heavyweight contender Cassius Clay testified at the Joint Legislative Committee on Professional Boxing in New York State Monday. Clay amused both the committee and members of the public with remarks and observations about boxing which he included in his testimony. UPD opposition to a proposal aimed at banning prize fighting in New York state was expected to mount today at a public hearing by a joint legislative committee. The hearing was scheduled to resume at 9:30 a.m., EST. At least five persons were to address the committee, headed by Assemblyman Hayward H. Plumadore. Cassius Clay, the loquacious heavyweight with a penchant for poetic predictions, says he knows just what boxing needs to lift it out of the doldrums—a fellow named Clay. "With Cassius Clay here it will liven up," the irrepressible Bard of boxing told a state legislative committee Monday. Clay stole the spotlight at a public hearing on whether professional boxing should be abolished in New York State—and this was going some because he was in fast company. Such ring greats as Carmen Basilio, Henry Armstrong and Billy Graham turned up to plead for the preservation of professional fisticuffs. Clay, who likes to name the round-in-rhyme—when he's going to knock out his opponents, agreed that boxing was waning in popularity—like the birds going south for the winter. But it will make a comeback, he predicted, with Clay leading the way. None of the witnesses who appeared at Monday's four-hour session spoke against boxing. They talked of its virtues as a physical conditioner and argued that underworld control of the sport had been virtually eliminated in New York State.